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Modernist Ingredient Kits


Chris Hennes

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The pantry at Nathan's house must be incredible...

Agreed. Despite having 12 or 15 "modernist" ingredients, I'm continually noting recipes that require something I don't have. Maybe I can sub sometimes, but as these are unfamiliar ingredients, I'm not yet confident enough to try that.

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One thing I wish I had put on my original order is Transglutaminase.

I was put off by reports of its short shelf-life, although some of these seemed to be conflicting. I figured that it's probably going to take me 6 months just to read the books, and if I want to make a specific dish with Transglutiminase then I'll order it when I actually need it. I'm in no rush to fill the pantry with expensive powders that become useless before I get around to using them... Transglutiminase is the only modernist ingredient that I have seen with reports of a very short shelf-life, many of the acids and salts used should last indefinitely. Lecithin is reported to go rancid very quickly but it's also very cheap and readily obtainable.

I have thought about buying a bunch of those silica-gel pouches that absorb moisture, for each bottle of stuff I have, can anyone advise if it's worth it? They're hardly expensive (about 10c each).

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Has anyone found a source to buy Kelcogels yet? I am almost out of my sample.

John Deragon

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I feel sorry for people that don't drink. When they wake up in the morning, that's as good as they're going to feel all day -- Dean Martin

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Thanks! Forgot to search for the generics, duh.

Edited by johnder (log)

John Deragon

foodblog 1 / 2

--

I feel sorry for people that don't drink. When they wake up in the morning, that's as good as they're going to feel all day -- Dean Martin

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Has anyone found a source for propylene glycol alginate? It seems to come up a lot.

You can request a sample of PGA from FMC Biopolymer.

They have information on their product here

There are two types depending on application, either Protanal or Protonal Ester, differences here.

John Deragon

foodblog 1 / 2

--

I feel sorry for people that don't drink. When they wake up in the morning, that's as good as they're going to feel all day -- Dean Martin

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propylene glycol alginate have about 220g in my cupboard unopened, never known how to use it in comparison with Sodium Alginate, what's the difference, does it go off?

The applications I've noticed it in are more related to emulsification/stabilization (e.g. the "bulletproof beurre blanc"). From johnder's link it looks like the protanal ester version would be best for those applications.

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propylene glycol alginate have about 220g in my cupboard unopened, never known how to use it in comparison with Sodium Alginate, what's the difference, does it go off?

The applications I've noticed it in are more related to emulsification/stabilization (e.g. the "bulletproof beurre blanc"). From johnder's link it looks like the protanal ester version would be best for those applications.

"bulletproof beurre blanc" buy a thermomix LOL

Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana.

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propylene glycol alginate have about 220g in my cupboard unopened, never known how to use it in comparison with Sodium Alginate, what's the difference, does it go off?

The applications I've noticed it in are more related to emulsification/stabilization (e.g. the "bulletproof beurre blanc"). From johnder's link it looks like the protanal ester version would be best for those applications.

"bulletproof beurre blanc" buy a thermomix LOL

I think the idea is you can refrigerate it, freeze it, etc. then just heat it back up and you are ready to go (i.e. still have a nice emulsion).

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I ordered ticaloid 310S at work to play around with doing stable fat in water emulsions but they sent me the spray dried gum arabic instead. The 310s is just an arabic-xanthan blend so I'll play around with blending my own and see what I can come up with. The cookingissues guys have worked with it before so I was going to check with them and see if the data sheets gave any information about the ratio of arabic to xanthan but their blog seems to have taken a (hopefully temporary) dive... so I'll figure it out the old fashioned way.

It's kinda like wrestling a gorilla... you don't stop when you're tired, you stop when the gorilla is tired.

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propylene glycol alginate have about 220g in my cupboard unopened, never known how to use it in comparison with Sodium Alginate, what's the difference, does it go off?

The applications I've noticed it in are more related to emulsification/stabilization (e.g. the "bulletproof beurre blanc"). From johnder's link it looks like the protanal ester version would be best for those applications.

"bulletproof beurre blanc" buy a thermomix LOL

I think the idea is you can refrigerate it, freeze it, etc. then just heat it back up and you are ready to go (i.e. still have a nice emulsion).

It looks similar to the reheatable brown butter hollandaise in the Ideas in food book. (Which I made the other day, worked really well. However, I would leave the lime pickle out of it next time, it kind of overtook the flavors a bit)

John Deragon

foodblog 1 / 2

--

I feel sorry for people that don't drink. When they wake up in the morning, that's as good as they're going to feel all day -- Dean Martin

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It looks similar to the reheatable brown butter hollandaise in the Ideas in food book. (Which I made the other day, worked really well. However, I would leave the lime pickle out of it next time, it kind of overtook the flavors a bit)

I make myself a fried egg breakfast most days - I have toyed with the idea of adding a Crystal hot sauce beurre blanc, but it is a lot of work for the morning. Heating up a refrigerated sauce is very appealing.

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propylene glycol alginate have about 220g in my cupboard unopened, never known how to use it in comparison with Sodium Alginate, what's the difference, does it go off?

The applications I've noticed it in are more related to emulsification/stabilization (e.g. the "bulletproof beurre blanc"). From johnder's link it looks like the protanal ester version would be best for those applications.

"bulletproof beurre blanc" buy a thermomix LOL

I think the idea is you can refrigerate it, freeze it, etc. then just heat it back up and you are ready to go (i.e. still have a nice emulsion).

Makes sense now, will have to crack it open and have a play (Best wait for my MC to arrive first)

Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana.

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The smallest quantity of PGA FMC sells is 20 kg. I've requested a sample, but does anyone know of a source for smaller quantities?

I was talking to the rep at the PMCA today about getting a sample of PGA - we ran up against a little issue as she needed me to pin myself down to exactly which PGA I needed and for the life of me I couldn't figure that out.

What recipe is it for?

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Thanks, Chris. I just ordered my set.

I was eyeing that mac & cheese too, but the only reasonable source I could find for the Iota Carrageenan was here. Over $50 with shipping and I don't need a pound. Ideas?

Check the price and shipping at L'Epicerie

And check their other Molecular Gastronomy ingredients.

Note under "Specials" that there is free delivery in Manhattan.

P.S. I use their flavorings which are superior to others I have tried.

The "Bacon" is extraordinary.

Is this a storefront or just mailorder?

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